Innovation & Creativity Archives - Page 13 of 18

But will they buy Paul Potts’ CDs?

June 20, 2007

Odds are you have watched at least one YouTube video of Paul Potts, the cell phone sales guy who arrived at the UK’s Britain’s Have Talent as the unknown underdog and took the world and the competition by storm.

If not…here’s a chance to see him in action. This particular video has been viewed over a million times and it’s one of many variations.

So why are we so fascinated and taken by Paul Potts?

He’s the underdog.
He’s ordinary.
He’s not gorgeous or appearing to have any other "advantage" in life.
He’s afraid but doing it anyway.
He has a dream that he’s willing to take risks to explore.

We are suckers for this kind of story. We take heart in them. We cheer on the underdog and feel like maybe if he can capture his dream…then we can too! (cue the music.)

But.

I know…I’m the jerk who is raining on the parade. The world has embraced Paul Potts. But he sings opera. And the bulk of the world does not like, listen to or understand opera. And he is ordinary looking in a field (entertainment) that clamors for beauty. Think I am being mean? In his first post-winning interviews, Potts also focuses on his looks and the "repair work" that needs to be done.

So now what? Do you think Paul Potts will change the world’s impression/buying patterns regarding opera? Will he at least take the opera world by storm?

Will the traits that attracted the world also inspire them to pull out their wallets? Or will Paul be a great inspirational YouTube video and in a few months, be back at the cell phone counter?

His personal brand served him well to win the competition. He won our hearts. Do you think it will serve him well in the marketplace and let him win our wallets?

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Wondering who is going to buy an iPhone?

June 19, 2007

Check out the profile of who’s most likely to buy an iPhone later this month. Read more about the survey at TrendsSpotting. How about you…going to get one?

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Got a brain cramp?

June 17, 2007

Robyn McMaster over at Brain Based Biz asked the question – what would you suggest to overcome a brain cramp?

Let me answer that by way of a short story.

When I was a kid, I used to wake up in the middle of the night, yelling for my mom and grabbing the calf of my leg, which was knotted in a spasm.

My mom called them growing pains. (Turns out that’s not quite accurate…but it sounded good at the time.) The pain was incredible and the more I moved…the more my leg knotted up. My mom would have to calm me down and have me hold very still. She’d tell me a story so I’d focus on that and then, she’d slowly rub the knot out enough that I could walk around on it.

I can remember the first time she suggested walking on it. I thought she was insane. But she was right…I needed to work out the knot by getting back up on the leg.

Sometimes as adults we get brain cramps. Same knotted feeling. We usually cramp up when we’re faced with a new truth. Or maybe a truth we don’t really want to see or isn’t playing out the way we want it to.

That happens at MMG all the time. Many times, what we recommend or what we uncover during our branding process isn’t what the client expected – and they cramp up.

So just like my mom helped me, it’s my job to help undo the knots. And just like my mom, I use stories to quiet the clients and help them understand. I love analogies – I find them to be incredibly effective in taking the abstract and making it tangible. After I’ve told our client a story or two and have them slowly nodding, I know I need to get them to try out the new ideas. They need to walk around on the fresh thoughts and see how they hold up.

They don’t want to do it. It seems counter-intuitive. They want to protect the status quo. But my role is to encourage them to slowly stand up and test the new ideas by walking on them for a bit.

Many times, after they take the risk — they are surprised by their reaction. They see new possibilities. They get fresh perspective. They were ready to take the next step all along.

So what’s my prescription for overcoming a brain cramp?

First, don’t panic. Breathe deeply. Focus on something else. Then, go ahead and look at what has you cramped up. Is it possible that it might not be all bad? Try to understand it from a different point of view. Maybe use analogies to help grasp the key points.

Then…test drive the new ideas. Slowly at first. Sure, it’s going to be uncomfortable. It’s new territory. But walk around on them a little. See if maybe they take you to a different and new place.

Maybe even a place you didn’t think you could reach.

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Viral product placement — do you think it drives sales?

June 14, 2007

One of the newer trends in marketing is the development of videos (think Mentos & Diet Coke) with specific products playing a primary role. On YouTube alone, the Mentos video was viewed over 2.2 million times. And imagine what that number balloons to when you consider all the places the video was shared.

A more recent viral video coined "Catch" features a guy catching a pair of Ray-Ban glasses on his face. Despite some pretty hard to believe scenarios.

That video, on YouTube alone, has been watched almost 2.5 million times. But…does it makes you want to buy Ray-Bans? Or does it even make you more aware of the brand?

Josh Warner, President of the Feed Company who produced the video sure hopes so. He was the subject of an interesting Q&A on the topic. Their home page says "200,000 videos are uploaded to YouTube and the web every day. You might be an agency or entertainment company that’s great at making ’em but getting web videos ranked, forwarded, and featured is an art in itself. Let us feed the monster – we know what it’s hungry for."

What do you think?

Does it sell product?
Does it raise brand awareness?
When the viewers realize its been produced as an "ad" does that change/diminish its effect?
Would the technique play better if it occurred naturally or doesn’t it matter?

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Is US produced advertising dumbed down?

June 10, 2007

Here’s a little different spin from Wieden & Kennedy Amsterdam, made for the UK market. My question….how do you think this would play in the US? Why do you think we don’t see more spots with this kind of humor?

And a tip of the hat to Little John at Advertising for Peanuts for pointing me to the spot.

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The shirt off my back as a new marketing tactic?

June 7, 2007

Which one of these shirts inspired my latest post at the Marketing Prof’s Daily Fix?

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A bagful of ideas: 06/07/07

June 6, 2007

From time to time, I’m going to share a mixed bag of ideas, marketing tips, brilliant writing and sometimes — something that just made me laugh out loud. Here’s today’s offering:

This one had me pumping my fist in the air: Tom Vander Well hit the nail on the head when he said okay does not drive customer loyalty or word of mouth. Right on Tom! Why are so many businesses slow to understand this?

This one had me applauding my peers: Sabina shares some really creative work. Reminds us all to stretch a little.

This one had me taking notes: Get it in Writing shares the top 20 words that when/if you misuse them make you look stupid. Now I don’t know about you, but I don’t need any help in that arena!

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The Starbucker Meme — what’s in your glass?

June 2, 2007

My friend Terry Starbucker of Ramblings From a Glass Half Full (now you see the connection?) has started his own meme and tagged me to play along.

You know me…I love to play, so here we go. Terry says…here’s a chance to let your creativity flow…answer the following:

How full is your glass?
What kind of glass is it?
What’s in the glass?
Reasons for #1, #2, and #3

My glass is a respectable two-thirds full.

The glass is a crystal traditional “bucket” glass.

The glass is filled with a very good single malt scotch on the rocks.

Scotch takes a long time to be ready to be consumed. It’s an acquired taste — you learn to take it in slowly and savor the warmth.

I think life is like that. It takes us awhile to figure it out. And when we do, we realize it’s all about sharing and savoring. (the liquid) The glass is only 2/3 full, because my life has been filled with some amazing people and experiences but it isn’t topped off yet. There are more remarkable discoveries ahead. (how full) And along the way, you learn that the best things in life are simple and that traditions are the threads that weave generations and families together. (the glass)

Okay…time for me to tag a few friends to play along. If I didn’t tag you, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t jump in and play along. Be sure to link back to this post and Terry’s post, so he can compile all the answers.

Mike “Blog Father” Sansone

Ryan “Fresh Faced and For Hire” Karpeles

Tim “When’s My National Book Tour Start” Johnson

Robyn “I Think About Thinking” McMasters

Steve “I Gotta Ripple Even When it Stings” Harper

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A first time meeting for old friends – Blogger Social ’08

June 1, 2007

Here’s how it seems to work. I’m talking with one of my smart blogging buddies and they say "we could or we should…." And I reply, "great idea…let’s do it!"

And then the trouble begins!

That’s how Gavin Heaton and I created the Age of Conversation. And that, on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend is how CK and I began to create Blogger Social ’08.

I’ve got to learn to shut up. ;}

Over lunch, we were talking about how there is no substitute for face time. And when old friends finally meet for the first time it’s remarkable how quickly you ease into a natural and easy rhythm of conversation. Both of us agree – every blogger we’ve met has been just what we expected. You can’t fake it when you hang it all out there every day.

That quickly led to "wouldn’t it be great if we could all just get together for a weekend?" And uh oh…you can feel it. Suddenly I found my hand waving in the air and heard myself saying, "let’s do it."

So we are.

Calling all bloggers across the world. You are hereby invited to the Blogger Social ’08. (We want to give everyone time to save their pennies!)

Here’s what we know:

It will be a Friday evening to Sunday event in the continental US. (Next year – Europe?)

There’ll be Friday night cocktail party – casual but cool. Saturday will be an afternoon event of some kind (big BBQ or some sort of group outing) and Saturday night it’s time to put on the Ritz, get glammed up and party until the wee hours of the morning.

Everyone foots the bill for their own hotel, airfare and incidentals. There will be a per person fee that covers the 3 parties/events and other group expenses. This isn’t about making money; this is about connecting with friends. So this is a net/net deal for CK and me.

This is all about being social. In between the three scheduled events, there will be plenty of down time for talking, tanning (depending on where we go) and tapping into those hugs and grins that just aren’t the same when you have to type them out.

Here’s what we don’t know:

Where. Exactly when. And who.

We need your help with that part. We’ve put together a short survey that we really want you to take. We want to know if you like the idea, if you want to come and where the collective wisdom wants to go. All entries are due by July 1 so we can give you the full scoop by August 1. No exceptions so go today. Why get caught in that last minute rush?

After you answer the survey – please share this with other bloggers. Talk it up, point it out and hold it up high enough that everyone can see it.

What do you say…want to get social? Come on, get that hand in the air!

P.S. If we determine that there’s enough interest – we’re going to be coming back and asking for committee volunteers. This is a community event, so we’re going to pull together to pull it off.

P.P.S. Special thanks to Cam Beck for preparing the survey and Luc Debaisieux (Mindblob) for creating our event’s official graphic. And of course…kudos and hugs to my co-hostess with the absolute mostest — CK.

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Gotta get goals — what are yours?

May 20, 2007

We’ve all read the statistics. If you write down your goals, you are 95% more likely to achieve them. And yet, most of us don’t write them down. And we don’t put them someplace that we can be constantly nudged about them.

Don’t start toeing the dirt. You’re not alone. But we can change all that! I’ll do it if you will.

Steve Harper (Ripple On) tagged me almost a month ago (I wonder if one of my goals should be to reply to tags more promptly) to join in the Gotta Get Goals series. And Dawud Miracle tagged me even before that. The rules are simple. List five goals and why you want to achieve them.

So don’t just read mine. Do yours. Link back here and maybe we can create a chain of goals and help/support each other as we push towards turning them into action.

A note on my goals — being an integral, giving, strong, supportive part of my family (and extended family) and circle of friends is a given. So, I left that off the list.

Write/publish a mystery novel (have it in my head…just not in the computer)

If you read my bookshelves post, you know I love mysteries. So much so that I have an entire bookshelf dedicated to them. For me, they are pure escapism. I get to mentally play for a couple hours. The writer in me wants to create one. I have the core characters and the outline of the book in my head. I even have the first line. Now, I just have to find/make the time to get it started.

Be the highest paying agency in my state and region (my people rock and I want to pay them like rock stars!)

Working for a marketing agency, you make decent money. But not rock star money. I want to provide such incredible value for our clients that we can be even more profitable…and I can share those profits with the MMG team. For now I will try to spoil them in ways I can like closing at noon on Fridays.

Exercise 4 days a week

I want to get back into fighting shape as I approach 45. By the time I’m 50, I want to be in the best shape of my life. Besides…exercise is great for stress-reduction and creating thinking time. Itt will also set a good example for my daughter, so she will begin to build exercise into her daily routine long before she needs to do it.

Write/teach other men how to be great dads to their kids (focus on daughters)

I have no idea how this will manifest itself but I have such a calling to do this. I love being a dad and seem to have an aptitude for it. I also believe that having an involved, active dad is every child’s right. The research proves how much a dad can influence his kids’ lives, attitudes and self-esteem. I want to make this happen for lots of other kids.

Write a book on the MMG philosophy of branding

This is book #2. It is all in my head and comes out of my mouth in meetings, blog posts, articles and presentations every day. We believe it is our mission at MMG to help companies discover their brand so they can create love affairs with their clients. Writing this book would extend our reach tremendously. Gotta get this one done!

Personify my personal mantra – Gratitude, Grace, Give

I know the challenge was five goals. But I don’t ever want this one to be far from the surface or my line of sight. If I don’t do this – the other goals don’t seem to matter as much.

Come on…show me yours.

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